The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 13, 1998
Filed:
Dec. 20, 1996
Robert D Hinchliffe, Newberg, OR (US);
Technical Visions, Inc., Beaverton, OR (US);
Abstract
Methods and apparatus for fabricating semiconductors by producing a corona discharge plasma comprising an intense beam of high-energy particles, supersonically expanding the plasma, and defining and directing the plasma toward a substrate, are disclosed. A discharge system including a corona discharge nozzle, a source body, a molecular beam skimmer, and a thin-film vacuum deposition chamber is used to deposit or modify a thin film on a substrate. A gas to be activated is supplied to the corona discharge nozzle at a relatively high pressure in comparison to the pressure inside the source body. A corona discharge is generated within an orifice of the nozzle. Energy from the discharge is transferred to the gas particles creating a corona discharge plasma of high-energy particles. As the plasma exits the nozzle orifice, the plasma is supersonically expanded inside the source body. A molecular beam skimmer defines and directs the plasma toward a substrate within a thin-film vacuum deposition chamber.